1. What does the word Love mean to you?

To me, love pulls you outside yourself, even if only fleetingly making you part of something larger, whether it’s a couple, a family, the members of a group or the entire human race.

2. Have you ever felt like love was missing from your life? (How do you handle these periods of time?)

I think we all experience that from time to time. As far as I can see, it’s a natural part of life.  It’s only been a problem for me in the times when I began to believe that the situation would never change. I’ve been lucky in that there haven’t been too many of those times.

3. What is the biggest way you see that love (or the lack thereof) has impacted our world today?

If there were half as much love as there are people talking about love the impact would be huge. And I include myself among those who do more talking about it than living it. It’s far easier. And it pays better.

4. What is the last extraordinary book you read and what impact did it have on you?

Three Cups of Tea, the astonishing true story of Greg Mortenson. We all talk about one person making a difference. He’s one person that actually does.

5. From your perspective, what is the most practical way to bring more love into the world?

The only way I know to bring more love into the world is to bring more love into your life. If I could figure out how to do that on a regular basis, I certainly wouldn’t hide it. Unfortunately, I have no idea.

6. Is there a connection between love and inspiration? Who in your lifetime has inspired you the most?

I think we can be inspired in any number ways only some of which are connected to love.

Though I never met either of them, the two people who’ve inspired me the most are probably inspirational cliches. But that simply means that they’ve inspired a great many people: Lincoln and Van Gogh. One of the most memorable moments of my life was being alone in the presence of an exhibition of Van Gogh’s paintings. Not esoteric enough for the terminally arty perhaps, but a transcendent experience.

7. How do you incorporate love into your business or professional life?

I do love what I do. I love the experience of what I do. I would hope it shows and in showing manifests love, if just a bit, in my writing and speaking. I don’t guarantee it does, but I would hope so.

Your Vision: What intrigues you the most about where the world is headed today?

At the moment, I’m not so much intrigued by the current time period as I am concerned about it. I have no idea where we’re headed. The world seems to be fragmenting and each fragment seems convinced that it and only it has a monopoly on truth. (Since my fragment does actually possess The Truth, we naturally resent all the others who simply think they do.)

Barry Maher speaks on communication, motivation and leadership. His books range from Filling the Glass, “[One of] The Seven Essential Popular Business Books” to the cult fantasy novel, Legend. He can be reached through his website, www.barrymaher.com.